2023 Texas Quality Seal Coat Award

Arcosa Lightweight recently received the 2023 Texas Quality Seal Coat Award. The Texas Seal Coat Awards Program was started 3 years ago as a joint effort between the Texas Asphalt Pavement Association (TXAPA) and Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT).

They are regional awards based on quality of the work, aesthetics and ride quality and judged by a panel of TXDOT and industry experts.

Arcosa Lightweight has received the top aggregate supplier every year that this honor has been awarded. The award is shared award between contractor, local TXDOT office, striping company, asphalt and rock supplier.

Accepting the awards on behalf of the Arcosa Lightweight Streetman Plant are (from L-R): Josh Yates, Streetman Plant Manager; Don Vernon, South Texas Sales Representative; Julius Maciel, Streetman QC; and Dennis Farmer, Streetman Head Dispatcher.

Want to know more about Chip Seal? Find your answers or talk to an expert HERE

HydroLite Lightweight Aggregate Plays Key Role in Record-Breaking Structure

As if constructing the tallest building in the western U.S. weren’t enough of an accolade, Hanjin Group set a record when a new addition to its property portfolio set an official Guinness World Record for the highest volume of concrete placed within an 18-hour period.

To make the foundation for the Wilshire Grand Center required more than 2,100 truckloads of concrete – a feat that entered the building in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest continuous concrete placement in history. The structure not only boasts 900 hotel rooms, a 70th-floor sky lobby, and 445,000 square feet of office and retail space, but it is also the tallest structure in the western U.S.

Pumping No Issue
The project encompassed over 1.2 million square feet of lightweight concrete slab on metal deck. Its structure includes 15,000+ cubic yards of concrete that on metal deck – of which 10,000+ cubic yards that includes HydroLite® Lightweight Aggregate from Arcosa Lightweight. According to Charles Kerzic, Arcosa Lightweight Sales Representative, the lightweight concrete helped meet the fire rating without the need for an additional fire proofing cover. And because the lightweight aggregate is presoaked, pumping it up to the building’s very high floors is easier than if traditional materials had been used.

Kerzic monitored the record-setting build with laser focus. He says that the lightweight concrete needed to finish the deck was pumped at 1,300 feet, 1,100 feet vertically.

Headed up by general contractor Turner Construction, the project also involved Conco Cement Company (the concrete pumper) and Catalina Pacific Concrete (a division of the CalPortland Company).

For the project, Arcosa Lightweight provided the lightweight aggregate for the concrete installed on the metal decking that surrounds the building’s core/elevator towers. “That concrete needed to be lighter than normal concrete for engineering purposes,” says Kerzic. Arcosa Lightweight manufactured the structural lightweight aggregate used for the project at its plant in Frazier Park, California. The ready-mix supplier replaced the “regular” weight granite with the lighter material. “The HydroLite lowers the concrete’s unit weight from 147 pounds per cubic foot to just 115 pcf,” Kerzic says.

Exceeding Expectations
The project is a great example of excellent teamwork among a general contractor, ready-mix concrete supplier, concrete placement subcontractor, pumping subcontractor, and lightweight aggregate supplier. “Everyone worked together to make sure the overall project was successfully pulled off,” says Jeff Speck, Director of Technical Sales for Arcosa Lightweight. “This truly is a testament to the value of having a great team that works together well.”

Quick Facts

  • Location of Project: Los Angeles, CA
  • Project Owner: Hanjin Group
  • Total Project Cost: $1.1 billion
  • Total Size: 73 stories, 1,100 feet high
  • Completion Date: 2017

View the Arcosa Lightweight Case Study Here: https://www.arcosalightweight.com/case-studies/structural-lightweight-concrete/wilshire-grand

Carson City Location Wins Safety Award.

Adam’s Claim, Carson City, NV

Each year the Nevada Mining Association (NVMA) presents awards to mines in many categories. Arcosa Specialty Material’s Adam’s Claim just outside of Carson City, NV has been the recipient of a safety award in the Small Mine Non-Metal category for many years. NVMA recognizes outstanding achievement in worker safety through the Sentinels of Safety Awards. Sentinels of Safety are awarded annually to the nation’s safest mines with a minimum of 4,000 injury-free hours.

The awards were initiated in 1925 by then-Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover and remain the nation’s most prestigious awards recognizing mining safety. This year the award was presented to Scott Lusty, GM and Randy Pryor, VP on September 10, 2022. Arcosa Specialty Material’s Adam’s Claim location has a weekly Safety Committee meeting dedicated to regular and specific site audits with the purpose of identifying potential safety issues and also finding ways to make our site safe for employees, customers and vendors. The time dedicated to this has been beneficial for safety and MSHA inspections.

Receiving the award on September 10, 2022 are Scott Lusty, General Manager (middle), and Randy Pryor, Vice President (right).

Employee Led Safety Program

Arcosa Specialty Materials is 100% committed to creating real change in our safety culture.

Arcosa Specialty Materials met recently to continue its safety journey. Employees from across the company came together in Norman, OK to review its most recent safety initiative and to plan for the future.

These are all part of the ARC 100 program. ARC is short for “Advocating Real Change”. The 100% in the loco stands for 100% committed to safety. These programs are developed by front line employees and deployed company wide.

Previous programs launched recently include Arcosa Safety Briefings, a regular safety meeting where safety issues are raised and discussed. A second, Pre-Op inspections, provides a formal checklist to check equipment prior to operating it. The most recent is Observe-Share-Report, a proactive program designed to catch accidents before they occur.

Together they are the foundation for the safety journey that continues in Arcosa Specialty Materials. However, it’s more than creating safety programs. It’s changing a company’s culture to embrace a “safety first” mentality each and every day on the job. Stay tuned for more safety updates!

UPDATE: Fire and Sound Manual Released

New Fire and Sound Manual released to increase ease of access by architects.

The Fire and Sound Manual
When designing UL assemblies, it’s important to maintain a balance between acoustic isolation and fire protection. Both are essential for safety and comfort. Our designs all conform to the limits specified in the UL Design. This includes variables like insulation thickness, where and how it’s placed in the cavity, and resilient channel spacing, and much more.

Image samples:

Content excerpt from the Fire and Sound Manual:

AccuCrete® and AccuLevel® underlayments are manufactured to rigorous ASTM standards, and have been tested to meet UL 1 and 2 hour fire rated designs. All AccuCrete® and AccuLevel® UL designs incorporate ultra low compressive AccuQuiet Sound Mats.

  • Section 1207.1 of the 2018 I. B. C. scope applies to common interior walls, partitions and floor/ceiling assemblies between adjacent dwelling units or between dwelling units and public areas.
  • Section 1201.2 of the 2018 I. B. C. scope applies to airborne sound for walls, partitions and floor/ceiling assemblies must have a sound transmission class (STC) of minimum 50 when tested in accordance with ASTM E90, laboratory test. Minimum 45 if field tested.
  • Section 1207.3 of the 2018 I. B. C. scope applies to structure borne sound refers to floor/ceiling assembles between dwelling units or dwelling units and a public area must have an impact insulation class (IIC) of minimum 50 when tested in accordance with ASTM E492, laboratory test. Minimum 45 if field tested.

To download the Fire and Safety Manual – Click Here

PROJECT PROFILE – Twin Hills Country Club, Oklahoma City, OK

This renovation of an iconic country club put AccuLevel® G-40 to the test.

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Twin Hills Country Club had a real problem. Fortunately, AccuLevel® G-40 was the perfect solution. The golf course in Oklahoma City, OK was in the middle of a major renovation and addition to their iconic clubhouse.

PROJECT DETAILS
The history of Twin Hills dates back to 1920 and has hosted several prestigious tournaments over the years including the PGA Championship, with players including Johnny Revolta, Arnold Palmer, and Gene Sarazen.

After removing the existing floor, they facing a huge challenge with the subfloor. The previous design used cinder block slabs, a common practice 80 years ago, but it left a big problem. How do you get a level floor when that subfloor looks like a gravel road. And just capping it with concrete was not a solution due to needing to remove the supports. 

SOLUTION
Bill Ritchie and John Lowry of Gypsum Floors of AR/OK, Inc. were called to see if they could help. After a review of the structure, they recommended AccuLevel G-40. “I’ve poured it as thin as half an inch to as much as 2 inches” said Ritchie. “We have used it for several jobs and we always get excellent results.”

With the seasoned crew from Gypsum Floors of AR/OK onsite, the project took less than a day to complete. Working around the obvious challenges of the sublfloor, the end result was a remodel and the new addition now have a smooth flat surface that is as hard as a rock.

“The client was very happy” Ritchie said, “they got a floor better than what they hoped for.”

To view the case study – click here

Holiday Giving

Thanks to the generosity of the Arcosa Specialty Materials employees in the Norman, OK office, a local charity was the beneficiary of some well-timed assistance.

Norman employees decided to support The Women’s Resource Center. Since 1975, they been helping women live better lives with a primary focus on people victimized by domestic and sexual violence. The Shelter, the Rape Crisis Center, and the Satellite Office fill an urgent need in the area and . The Women’s Resource Center is the only organization providing these services in Cleveland County.

Between November 4th and December 14th, Arcosa Specialty Materials coordinated a donation drive in the Norman office. Items collected by the employees included clothing, food, and children’s items like toys and diapers.

A big congratulations for the warm hearts of the Norman area employees to help make life a little better for those in need.